According to CNN, as the United States imposes pressure on renowned universities, Canada has recruited dozens of academic talents from various American institutions.
On August 27 local time, Canadian Industry Minister Melanie Jol announced that 64 scholars will be hired, and several Canadian universities will provide them with funding worth over 500 million Canadian dollars (approximately 2.42 billion RMB) over an eight-year period.
Among these scholars, 48 are from American universities, including Harvard University, Cornell University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Their research fields cover medicine, engineering, climate science, and many other disciplines.
After the Trump administration took office, it targeted a number of top American universities and imposed controls by cutting off federal funding. Researchers also expressed concerns about the White House's expanding power in the approval of research funding. These concerns have caused turmoil in the academic community, and researchers at American universities have begun to consider the future of their research work.
"On the day of the press conference, Qiao Li said: “Some countries are cutting down on scientific research funding and betraying academic freedom. We are, however, doubling down on investments in science and research."
It is reported that the funding for these researchers comes from Canada’s “Global Influence + Research Talent Program”. The total budget of this program is 1.7 billion Canadian dollars (approximately 8.22 billion RMB), with the aim of “attracting top global researchers to Canada”.
When asked whether he believed Trump would consider this talent acquisition as an escalation of the trade war, Jolie said that it was a choice made by Canada itself. “The U.S. government has its own decisions, and so do we. We are very pleased that these outstanding professors can come here.”
Some scholars say that concerns about academic freedom in the United States are one of the reasons that led them to decide to resign.
Phillip Zamor, a researcher in RNA biology at the University of Massachusetts, said that problems with talent recruitment led him to choose to leave his previous institution. He said, "In the United States, I can no longer conduct top-tier research. I cannot recruit the best collaborators, and I also cannot guarantee them a safe research environment."
Media scholar Ethan Zuckerman will leave Amherst College in Massachusetts University to work at McGill University. In a statement, he said this is an opportunity to join a team engaged in "pioneering research".
In the current era of global authoritarianism rising to prominence, Canada is willing to support research into the threat posed by business and politics to democracy. This has significant practical implications.
